Food Storage for the Average Family

If you’re like me and have lived through any sort of weather emergency, you know how important it is to be prepared. I will never forget the ice storm of 2003. Though we were only out of power a couple days, many of the people around us had no electricity or water for 2-3 weeks. There was no kerosene available at the gas stations, and if you could get to the grocery stores, the shelves were almost empty. In 2009, we had another ice storm that shut us all down, but we were more prepared. Since September is National Preparedness month, this is a great time to think about weather emergencies, practical food storage tips and how to prepare.

Hobbies on a budget received promotional items or discounts to facilitate this post. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Food Storage for the Average Family

There are many ways that the average family can take small steps to be prepared for emergencies. One important thing that all families should consider is food storage. I’m not talking long-term survivalist food storage where are you stock up on 100 pounds of rice and beans. Although this is probably very important, it’s not practical for many families. EarthEasy.com has two great products that make food prep for the average family a practical solution.

Tips for Food storage:

One of the mistakes many people made when it comes to food storage is stocking up on food that no one really likes to eat. That means that food gets wasted and takes up space for no reason. Think about the food your family eats on a regular basis. Now think about how much of the food is shelf stable (meaning it won’t spoil or go bad being stored for a year). Some of the things that we store back are boxes of instant rice, spaghetti noodles, pancake mix, koolaid packets and of course canned vegetables and soup.

When we go to the grocery, we typically buy one extra item on each trip. This is a great way to stock up slowly without having a hit on your budget. If I know our family is going to have fajitas for supper, then I buy an extra box of rice – one to eat this week and one to put back for emergencies.

Remember to always check the expiration dates of the food you plan to store. If it is expires before I can use it, then I have wasted my money.

Tips for Water Storage:

Another mistake is to not have water stored back that would sustain your food family while emergency personnel are on the way. There are several ways to safely store water. You can of course purchase individual bottles of water and just store them back. Or you can use special water bricks that are designed to safely keep the water stored. However you choose to store water, you should plan to have a clean supply of water that would last your family at least 3 days in case you get stuck in your house during a weather emergency.

Set a reminder to rotate your stash: Since I know that the food I am storing will not expire till 12/17, I need to remember to use that food before it expires.

I made a note on my calendar for September 2017 to rotate my supply. Since it is food we regularly use, we can eat those items in 12 months and will have lost nothing.

Don’t forget the TP:

Last year I did a 30 day Toilet Paper Challenge to find out how much toilet paper our family of 5 needs to have on hand for emergencies. Though we can’t fit enough TP in one of these storage foodbricks, it’s still a great place to store some toilet paper rolls. However you choose to store your necessities, make sure it is in a water proof container and on hand for weather emergencies!

Win your own Food and Water Brick:

There are many products on the market designed to make food and water storage more convenient. On Hobbies on a Budget this week, you have the opportunity to win one foodbrick and one waterbrick from Eartheasy.com to get you started on your preparedness journey.

What is a WaterBrick?

The WaterBrick is a portable, stackable and customizable emergency water container with many applications. Holding 3.5 gallons, it is small enough to carry or fit under a bed, while the stackable nature of WaterBrick allows you to store as much water or emergency supplies as you need in a convenient or discreet location.

Made of HDPE plastic, WaterBrick is a durable industrial food grade container, with a shelf life of 15 years or more. Available to purchase in singles or in bundles. WaterBrick interlocks and stacks with FoodBrick containers for a complete water and food storage system

What is a Foodbrick?

The FoodBrick has the same quality, dimensions and FDA approved BPA-free food grade plastic as the WaterBrick 3.5 Gallon Water Container, but FoodBrick was designed to easily pack, stack and store food. Plus it interlocks and stacks with WaterBrick containers for a complete water and food storage system.

FoodBrick and WaterBrick containers are perfect for preparedness, disaster relief, or any outdoor activity like boating, rafting, camping, tailgating, and more.

Do you think it is important to have an emergency supply of food and water in your home? How do you plan for weather emergencies? Got any tips or favorite products that make this process easier? I’d love to hear!

Comments

Yes it is very important to be prepared. We deal with bad storms so in our basement I have two totes full of supplies. We have a wind up flash light, along with a couple of sleeping bags (these can protect your from debris), water, snacks, candles and matches. Just buy a little at a time but always try to buy something with each paycheck even if it is just an extra can of food. Also don’t forget your pets as they will need food and water too.

We live in Florida so we know how important it is to be ready for bad weather. What I do is just before Hurricane season I start buying extra food and other items every week. So by the time the season is here I have plenty of supplies..

I lived in Houston, TX for many years and understand the importance of being prepared for hurricanes, tropical storms, black/brown outs, etc. Now that I am in Missouri, I don’t worry as much about that kind of weather emergency—maybe tornadoes. However,I am a firm believer in staying prepared for at least a week–even two weeks—at any time. It is a great stress relief to know that I can get by for a while if any reason comes along.

I do think it’s important to always be prepared. My husband is a Fire Chief and he has seen many unprepared families in his line of work and it’s heartbreaking to witness. Always think through different scenarios and plan accordingly so that the whole family knows what to do in an emergency.